The suffix –ful has most of the times a positive

Complete these sentences with adjectives

meaning and –less a negative meaning but not always: given in brackets endings –ful or –less.
the adjectives awful or dreadful have negative
meanings (= frightening) and priceless has a positive
1. What a lovely present! That was very
meaning (= valuable).
thoughtful
________________ of you. (think)
We can make adverbs from these adjectives with countless
2. He's told me ________________ times about
-fully or –lessly: carefully and carelessly. how good he is at football. (count)
3. My best friend is a rich, _________________
powerful
lawyer. (power)
Noun Verb Adjective
4. You must remember to recharge your
care care careful / careless phone. Without its batteries, it's
colour colour colourful / colourless _____________.
useless (use)
fear fear fearful / fearless 5. Although everybody knows that cigarettes
are _______________
harmful to our health, many
harm harm harmful / harmless
people still smoke. (harm)
help help (un)helpful / helpless
6. The new sales assistant was really
hope hope hopeful / hopeless ________________
helpless and rude. (help)
meaning mean meaningful / meaningless 7. Look at the newborn baby. He’s completely
pain pain painful / painless ______________.
helpless (help)
power power powerful / powerless 8. Don't worry, John - this injection will be
painless
completely ________________. (pain)
sleep sleep sleepful / sleepless
9. Thieves broke into the museum and stole a
thought think thoughtful / thoughtless
______________
priceless painting by Van Gogh. (price)
taste taste tasteful / tasteless
10. She's really rich, but her clothes are always
use use useful / useless very ________________
tasteless and elegant. (taste)
11. I bought some shares in the company 5
These adjectives take -ful or -less, but not both. years ago. Nevertheless now they are
_______________.
worthless (worth)
Noun Verb Adjective
12. How could you be so _______________
careless as to
awe awe awful / awesome lose your wallet? (care)
brain - brainless (unintelligent) 13. I’m going to give some clothes to the
count count countless / countable ________________.
homeless (home)
dread dread dreadful 14. I spent a ______________
sleepless night worrying
about you! Where have you been? (sleep)
end end endless
15. That little boy is absolutely _______________.
fearless
home - homeless
He’s not afraid of anything! (fear)
peace - peaceful 16. Despite he has lost some points, he’s
play play playful _____________
hopeful they can win the game. (hope)
price price priceless
success succeed (un)successful
time - timeless
wire wire wireless
worth worth worthless (without value)

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